The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1887-05-18
LIGHT ON MYSTERY
A WAR CORRESPONDENT APPARENT.
" WOUNDED UNTO DEATH.


How He Felt and What He Thought
While Falling Into the Unknown
Hereafter"-A Curious Expsrience--An
Error Corrected.
had an experience which may throw
some Light on the mystery which gathers
about the dying. An expedition led by
Sweeny, the one armed regular officer,
and consisting Of cavalry, infantry and
artillery, was sent out to destroy Con-
federate depot Of clothing and provisions.
/. The cavalry was put well In advance as
we neared the point, and finally, when
within striking distance, . charge was
ordered into the town. I went In with
the troopers and suddenly found myself
in the midst Of Q hot contest, in which
rebel shotsuns and rifles were playing
prominent part. Near the center Of the
place was 9 brick court house, into which
after little time entered, partly be-
cause the shooting was very careless, q
SCORE Of men apd horses in my Immediate
vicinity being hit and q stampede being
fnaugufated by frantic animals, and
partly because II seemed that could get
better view OF the contest from the roof
Of the building
ascended to the second floor and en-
tered large square room In which were
heaped large quantity Of clothing. There
was table at which were seated two men
In Federal uniform, who were engaged in
examining some papers.
My wearing apparel was much dilapi-
dated and concluded to mike an ex-
change. selected pair Of TROUSERS from
the pile and pair Of saddle bags, and
then proceeded 70 make change Of gar
ments. had tho new trousers partly on,
when the building suddenly shivered as Il
struck by an earthquake; there was sim
u1taneously deafening explosion, . rat-
cling Of shattered glass, while the room
became filled with flying particles Of
brick and mortar.
"A shell, by -P' roared one Of the
men, as he tipped over backward, over
turning the table, then scrambled to his
feet and ran toward the stairway, fol-
lowed by his companion. chung to the
saddle bags and the half adjusted gar
inents and hastened after them as fast as
my semi-bandaged condition would per.
HNocKEp sEEsEIRsa
reached the bead Of the staircase IN
time to SEQ the others depending In great
leaps 10 the bottom ahd then disappear
through the door. bad descended two
or three steps when there CANA another
at the back of my head Broad belts Of
vivid crimson filled my line Of vision, and
thsn lost consciousness. A little later
recovered my mental condition and found
myself lying at the foot Of the stairway.
A pool Of blood lay about my head and
saturated my clothing. A frightful weak
ness possessed me, and there was savage
pain In the back Of my head. With i'm
mense exertion I struggled to my feet,
after falling Two or three times, and then
kept myself upright by leaning against
the 1amb Of the doorway.
It seemed to me that was dying. A
mortal languov possessed me, and I felt
that In moment or two should drop to
the floor dead. cannot truthfully state
that as this supreme moment all my past
Life flashed before me, as is recorded tn 30
many excellent books concerning death
Cured. Ihad no particular consciousness
apart from the languor, the pain and q
curious sinking feeling about the heart. I
recall what appears to have been dim
species Of wonder a. to what those at home
would think when they heard Of my death.
None Of the good nor bad deeds Of my life
passed before me in that moment. The
space about me grew into o hlueness, and
then gradually changed into dense black.
As u did 30, my strength left me. I sank
10 the floor, my last remembrance being
something to the effect that I was slowly
dropping into infinite space
This faint remembrance, these dim SEN
sations, this sinking away, thought was
death. Had actually died would have
experienced no other feeling.
RECOVERED CONSCIOUSNESS
When again recovered consciousness
bench In the court house. An hour later
was on q horse and moving on the return
march. I chung all through the occur
renee 20 the trousers and saddle bags
After the cavalry had entered the town
word was sent back 10 Q section Of artil-
lery In the rear, with order to It's officer to
hurry up and bring his pieces to bear on
the town. The officer was Lieut. George
Sokalski, who was quite deaf, and who
understood the order to be to fire" on the
town. He did 60, and the court house
being the most conspicuous object, he
selected 1t for target for shell practice.
The second Of his missives exploded Just
behind me, and gave me my first expert
ence as to the sensations Of death.
I saw many men die during the war, and
In no case was there anything distressing
In the occurrence. When o man was hit,
and believed the wound to be deadly
one, he never grew excited nor frantic
over his condition. Tho conviction seemed
to quiet him; to stun him a little; to be
something In the nature Of an opiate.
do not believe there was single instance
In the entire war in which soldier, know
ing that he was about to die, arranged
any OF the beautiful sentiments 80 fire.
quently published IN some Of t1s nsws-
papers and In . certain class of books.
'Tel them that have cheerfully given
my hfe for my nag and my country" is
On absurd invention. No dying man ever
saidit and no dying man ever thought Il
-"Poliuto" In Chicago Times.